Multi-contact high-current connection terminals and connectors

Abstract

This invention relates to a multi-contact high-current connection terminal and connector. The multi-contact high-current connection terminal of this invention includes: an inner terminal and an outer shell, the outer shell being fitted over the inner terminal; the inner terminal has a first base and a first spring contact connected to the first base, the first spring contact having a first contact that connects to a mating component; the outer shell includes a second base, a second spring contact, and a third spring contact; one end of the second spring contact is connected to the second base, and the other end is bent inwards towards the second base and has a second contact that connects to the mating component; the third spring contact is connected to the side wall of the second base and bent inwards towards the second base, abutting against the first spring contact. The multi-contact high-current connection terminal of this invention, by setting a double-layer multi-contact structure, can carry a larger current while the third spring contact elastically supports the first spring contact, forming a double-spring contact arm, thereby increasing the positive force of the connection terminal and improving its current-carrying capacity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of connector technology, and in particular to a multi-contact high-current connection terminal and connector. Background Technology

[0002] As industrial energy storage systems develop towards larger capacities, new challenges are posed to multi-contact, high-current connection terminals. Large-capacity energy storage systems need to transmit larger currents and typically require stable operation over long periods, placing extremely high demands on the reliability and durability of connection terminals to meet the needs of energy storage and release.

[0003] In the field of new energy vehicles, the widespread adoption of high-voltage platforms has become a significant trend in industry development. The substantial increase in charging power places stringent demands on the performance of multi-contact high-current connection terminals. Under high-voltage conditions, the stability and safety of current transmission are paramount. Existing multi-contact high-current connection terminals are prone to overheating under high voltage and high current, which not only affects their lifespan but may also pose safety hazards. Furthermore, the contact areas of the connection terminals are subjected to repeated impacts and vibrations, causing slight displacement and relative slippage between the originally tightly connected contacts. This results in insufficient contact pressure, increased contact resistance, and unstable current transmission, seriously impacting safe driving. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, the purpose of this invention is to provide a multi-contact high-current connection terminal and connector. The first contact of the inner terminal and the second contact of the outer shell simultaneously connect to the mating component, forming a double-layer multi-contact structure. This structure can carry a larger current while effectively preventing fatigue failure caused by prolonged use of the terminal, resulting in better contact stability with the mating component. Simultaneously, a third spring in the outer shell elastically supports the first spring of the inner terminal, forming a double-spring contact arm. This increases the positive force effect of the terminal, reducing contact resistance and improving the current-carrying capacity of the terminal.

[0005] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] A multi-contact high-current connection terminal includes:

[0007] An inner terminal and an outer casing, wherein the outer casing is fitted over the inner terminal;

[0008] The inner terminal is provided with a first base and a first spring piece connected to the first base, and the first spring piece is provided with a first contact point that is connected to the mating component;

[0009] The outer casing includes a second base, a second spring, and a third spring; the second base is annular and covers the outside of the first base; one end of the second spring is connected to the second base, and the other end is bent toward the inside of the second base and has a second contact point that connects to the mating component; the third spring is connected to the side wall of the second base, is disposed on the same side as the first spring, and is bent toward the inside of the second base to elastically abut against the first spring.

[0010] Furthermore, the second base includes a plurality of first support walls and second support walls; the first support wall is recessed in the middle, and its protruding two sides are respectively connected to the second support wall; the second spring and the third spring are simultaneously connected to the first support wall.

[0011] Furthermore, a first rib is provided at the connection between the first support wall and the second spring piece, or a first rib is provided on the first support wall near the second spring piece.

[0012] Furthermore, the first protruding rib is located on the first support wall near the second elastic piece, and the first protruding rib includes a plurality of intersecting first longitudinal ribs and first transverse ribs.

[0013] Furthermore, the first spring is also provided with a first spring arm to connect the first contact and the first base;

[0014] The third spring is provided with a third contact point and a third spring arm connecting the first support wall and the third contact point. The first spring arm and the third spring arm elastically abut against each other at one end close to the first contact point, and the ends away from the first contact point are spaced apart so that the first spring arm and the third spring arm are set at a certain angle.

[0015] Furthermore, a second rib is provided at the connection between the first support wall and the third elastic arm, or a second rib is provided on the first support wall near the third elastic arm.

[0016] Furthermore, the second support wall is provided with a limiting groove, the bottom of which protrudes from the first base to limit the position of the interlocking components.

[0017] Furthermore, the first spring is also provided with a fourth spring arm, which has a first guide portion and a second guide portion that are bent and connected. The first guide portion is connected to the first contact point. During the insertion process of the inner terminal and the outer shell, the second guide portion elastically abuts against the third spring.

[0018] Furthermore, the first base is provided with a fastening position, and the second base is provided with a fastening piece opposite the fastening position, which is fastened to the fastening position.

[0019] The present invention also provides a connector, comprising: the multi-contact high-current connection terminal described in the present invention.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0021] (1) The first contact provided by the inner terminal and the second contact provided by the outer shell are simultaneously connected to the mating component to form a double-layer multi-contact structure, which can carry a larger current while effectively avoiding fatigue failure caused by long-term use of the terminal, and has better contact stability with the mating component.

[0022] (2) The first spring of the inner terminal is elastically supported by the third spring in the outer shell, forming a double spring contact arm, thereby increasing the positive force of the terminal to reduce the contact resistance and improve the current carrying capacity of the terminal.

[0023] (3) By setting the first support wall in a concave structure, a U-shaped convex ridge is formed to provide strong support for the concave bottom of the first support wall, which can greatly increase the stability of the housing, making the connection terminal particularly suitable for scenarios with high current, high vibration and high reliability requirements.

[0024] (4) The outer shell is provided with multiple rib structures to release the stress of the spring sheet and increase the strength of the outer shell;

[0025] (5) The first base and the second base are fixed together by riveting. By setting the fastening trajectory surface of the fastener to be perpendicular to the insertion direction, the misalignment of the inner terminal and the outer shell in the insertion direction can be limited, making the connection between the inner terminal and the outer shell more stable.

[0026] To better understand and implement this invention, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 An exploded view of the multi-contact high-current connection terminal provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of a multi-contact high-current connection terminal provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a multi-contact high-current connection terminal provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the outer casing provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 5 Implementation method one for internal terminals;

[0032] Figure 6 Implementation method two for internal terminals.

[0033] In the diagram: 100 - Connecting terminal; 10 - Inner terminal; 11 - First base; 111 - First connecting part; 112 - Fastening position; 12 - First spring; 121 - First contact; 122 - First spring arm; 123 - Fourth spring arm; 1231 - First guide part; 1232 - Second guide part; 1233 - Fourth contact; 20 - Outer shell; 21 - Second base; 211 - First support wall; 212 - Second support wall; 2121 - Limiting groove; 213 - Protruding ridge; 214 - Fastening piece; 215 - Second connecting part; 22 - Second spring piece; 221 - Second contact point; 23 - Third spring piece; 231 - Third spring arm; 232 - Third contact point; 24 - First protruding rib; 241 - First longitudinal rib; 242 - First transverse rib; 25 - Second protruding rib; 251 - Second longitudinal rib; 252 - Second transverse rib; 30 - Locking assembly; 40 - Copper busbar; 50 - Interlocking component. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "vertical direction," "up," "down," and "horizontal," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0036] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or a connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0037] As industrial energy storage systems develop towards larger capacities, new challenges are posed to multi-contact, high-current connection terminals. Large-capacity energy storage systems need to transmit larger currents and typically require stable operation over long periods, placing extremely high demands on the reliability and durability of connection terminals to meet the needs of energy storage and release.

[0038] In the field of new energy vehicles, the widespread adoption of high-voltage platforms has become a significant trend in industry development. The substantial increase in charging power places stringent demands on the performance of multi-contact high-current connection terminals. Under high-voltage conditions, the stability and safety of current transmission are paramount. Existing multi-contact high-current connection terminals are prone to overheating under high voltage and high current, which not only affects their lifespan but may also pose safety hazards. Furthermore, the contact areas of the connection terminals are subjected to repeated impacts and vibrations, causing slight displacement and relative slippage between the originally tightly connected contacts. This results in insufficient contact pressure, increased contact resistance, and unstable current transmission, seriously impacting safe driving.

[0039] In traditional single-layer spring multi-contact structures, the elastic limit of the spring material will continuously decrease due to stress accumulation. When the actual working stress exceeds the decreased elastic limit, the spring will undergo irreversible plastic deformation, eventually leading to problems such as poor connection and increased contact resistance, which affects the connection reliability of the terminals.

[0040] Based on this, please refer to Figure 1-6 This application provides a multi-contact high-current connection terminal, including: an inner terminal 10 and a housing 20, with the housing 20 sleeved outside the inner terminal 10. The inner terminal 10 is provided with a first base 11 and a first spring piece 12 extending and connected to the first base 11. The first spring piece 12 is provided with a first contact 121 for elastically abutting against the mating component 50 to achieve current conduction.

[0041] The outer casing 20 includes a second base 21, a second spring 22, and a third spring 23. The second base 21 is annular and covers the outside of the first base 11. One end of the second spring 22 is connected to the second base 21, and the other end is bent toward the inside of the second base 21 and has a second contact 221 for elastically abutting against the mating component 50 to conduct current. The third spring 23 is connected to the side wall of the second base 21, is disposed on the same side as the first spring 12, and is bent toward the inside of the second base 21 to elastically abut against the first spring 12.

[0042] Compared to the traditional single-layer spring-loaded multi-contact structure, this embodiment of the application uses a first contact 121 on the inner terminal 10 and a second contact 221 on the outer casing 20 to simultaneously connect with the mating component 50, forming a double-layer multi-contact structure. This structure can carry a larger current while effectively preventing fatigue failure of the terminals due to prolonged use. The multi-contact high-current terminal provided by this embodiment of the application has better contact stability with the mating component 50 and better fault tolerance for male and female connections. Simultaneously, this embodiment of the application uses a third spring 23 on the outer casing 20 to elastically support the first spring 12 of the inner terminal 10, forming a double-spring contact arm, thereby increasing the positive force of the terminal to reduce contact resistance and improve the current-carrying capacity of the terminal.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the inner terminal 10 is made of a high thermal conductivity alloy material, and the plating is silver plating to improve electrical and thermal conductivity, achieving a load capacity of 300~500A. The outer casing 20 is made of a high thermal conductivity metal material to improve electrical and thermal conductivity, which will not be detailed here.

[0044] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 4 Furthermore, in some embodiments, the second base 21 includes several first support walls 211 and second support walls 212 arranged in a ring shape. As a specific embodiment, two opposing first support walls 211 and two opposing second support walls 212 form a square structure for the second base 21, with second spring pieces 22 and third spring pieces 23 simultaneously connected to the first support walls 211. Preferably, the second spring piece 22 is connected to the end of the first support wall 211. In this configuration, the first support wall 211 serves as the main load-bearing component of the outer shell 20, supporting the elastic deformation and elastic recovery of the second spring pieces 22 and third spring pieces 23. In this configuration, one of the second support walls 212 is provided with a snap-fit ​​structure, allowing the entire second base 21 to be snapped together end-to-end to form a closed ring structure, making the second base 21 structure more stable and providing a stable support structure for its insertion into the mating component 50.

[0045] In this embodiment, the second support wall 212 is provided with a dovetail snap-fit ​​structure for fastening and fixing. This dovetail snap-fit ​​structure can be punched and formed in one piece, which is simple in structure, easy to implement, and does not increase the volume of the outer shell 20.

[0046] Similarly, the first base 11 is also fastened and fixed by a dovetail-type snap-fit ​​structure to form a closed ring structure, so as to ensure the stability of the first base 11 and stably support the elastic deformation of the first spring piece 12.

[0047] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the second support wall 212 is provided with a limiting groove 2121 to limit the insertion of the mating component 50, and a guide shape is designed for the head of the mating component 50 to guide and position the insertion of the mating component 50. It is understood that the limiting groove 2121 protrudes beyond the height of the first base 11, thus avoiding contact with the first base 11 when the mating component 50 is inserted, providing a buffering effect against blind insertion of the mating component 50, and preventing the mating component 50 from contacting the inner terminal 10 and causing product pin failure.

[0048] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first support wall 211 is recessed in the middle, and its protruding two sides are respectively connected to the second support wall 212 to form protruding U-shaped ridges 213. In this configuration, the strong support of the recessed bottom of the first support wall 211 by the U-shaped ridges 213 can greatly increase the stability of the housing 20, making the connection terminal 100 particularly suitable for scenarios with high current, high vibration, and high reliability requirements.

[0049] Please see Figure 3-6 Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first spring plate 12 is also provided with a first spring arm 122 to connect the first contact 121 and the first base 11; the third spring plate 23 is provided with a third contact 232 and a third spring arm 231 connecting the first support wall 211 and the third contact 232. The ends of the first spring arm 122 and the third spring arm 231 near the first contact 121 elastically abut against each other, and the ends away from the first contact 121 are spaced apart so that the first spring arm 122 and the third spring arm 231 are set at a certain angle. In this way, the first spring plate 12 can apply greater positive pressure to the mating component 50 while maintaining good elasticity.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the third contact 232 abuts against the end of the first spring arm 122 near the first contact 121, or abuts against the back bend of the first contact 121. This can prevent the first spring arm 122 from being subjected to force in the middle part, which would cause the force at both ends of the first spring arm 122 to become unbalanced and unable to provide stable contact pressure, ultimately leading to an increased risk of elastic failure and loose electrical connection affecting connection reliability.

[0051] Please see 1 and Figure 4 Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first support wall 211 is provided with a first rib 24 at the connection between it and the second spring piece 22, or the first support wall 211 is provided with a first rib 24 near the second spring piece 22, so as to increase the strength of the outer shell 20.

[0052] Specifically, in some embodiments, the second spring 22 is bent at an angle greater than 90 degrees, and the second contact 221 is located inside the second base 21. This reduces the size of the connecting terminal 100, which is beneficial for the miniaturization design of the connecting terminal 100. Simultaneously, this facilitates the insertion of the insertion component 50. However, this reduces the support force at the bend of the second spring 22 and the second base 21, making it prone to permanent deformation and rapid elastic decay after repeated insertion and removal. In this configuration, the first rib 24 is located on the first support wall 211 near the second spring 22, and the first rib 24 includes several intersecting first longitudinal ribs 241 and first transverse ribs 242 to increase the strength of the first support wall 211.

[0053] Specifically, in some other embodiments, the bending angle of the second spring 22 is less than 90 degrees, and the second contact point 221 is located outside the second base 21. This increases the stress at the connection between the second spring 22 and the second base 21. In this configuration, the first rib 24 is located at the connection between the second spring 22 and the second base 21 to directly release the stress at the connection, preventing fatigue cracks from easily appearing at the connection after repeated stress on the second spring 22.

[0054] Similarly, in some embodiments, a second rib 25 is provided at the connection between the first support wall 211 and the third elastic arm 231, or a second rib 25 is provided at the position of the first support wall 211 near the third elastic arm 231, which is also used to increase the strength of the outer shell 20.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment, the bending angle of the third elastic arm 231 relative to the first support wall 211 is small. The second rib 25 includes a second longitudinal rib 251 and a second transverse rib 252. The second longitudinal rib 251 is disposed along the extension direction of the third elastic arm 231 at the connection between the third elastic arm 231 and the first support wall 211 to release the concentrated stress at the connection. The second transverse rib 252 is disposed perpendicular to the second longitudinal rib 251 at a position on the first support wall 211 near the third elastic arm 231 to increase the strength of the first support wall 211.

[0056] Similarly, in some other embodiments, the bending angle of the third elastic arm 231 relative to the first support wall 211 is larger, and the second protruding rib 25 is disposed on the first support wall 211 near the third elastic arm 231, which will not be described in detail here.

[0057] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 6Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first spring 12 is also provided with a fourth spring arm 123, which has a first guide portion 1231. The first guide portion 1231 is connected to the first contact 121 to facilitate the smooth insertion of the mating component 50. The end of the first guide portion 1231 away from the first contact 121 elastically abuts against the third spring 23 to facilitate the insertion of the inner terminal 10 into the outer casing 20.

[0058] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the fourth spring arm 123 further includes a second inlet portion 1232 connected to the first inlet portion 1231, and the second inlet portion 1232 extends in the opposite direction to the first inlet portion 1231. During the insertion process of the inner terminal 10 and the outer shell 20, the second inlet portion 1232 elastically abuts against the third spring piece 23 so that the inner terminal 10 can be smoothly inserted into the outer shell 20.

[0059] Specifically, the second inlet 1232 can be a V-shaped structure with a fourth contact 1233, an arc-shaped structure, or other structures that facilitate sliding insertion with the third spring 23, which will not be described in detail here.

[0060] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 3 Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first base 11 is provided with a latch 112, and the second base 21 is provided with a latching tab 214 opposite to the latching tab 112, which engages with the latching tab 112. After the inner terminal 10 is inserted into the outer shell 20, the latching tab 214 is riveted and fastened to the latching tab 112. Preferably, the engagement trajectory surface of the latching tab 214 is perpendicular to the insertion direction. In this way, the latching tab 214 can limit the misalignment of the inner terminal 10 and the outer shell 20 in the insertion direction, making the connection between the inner terminal 10 and the outer shell 20 more stable.

[0061] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first base 11 has a first connecting portion 111 at the end away from the first spring 12; the second base 21 has a second connecting portion 215 at the end away from the second spring 22, directly opposite the first connecting portion 111, and the first connecting portion 111 and the second connecting portion 215 are fixedly connected to the outer base. Preferably, the first connecting portion 111 and the second connecting portion 215 are locked to the copper busbar 40 by a locking assembly 30, so that the two can be stably fixedly connected to ensure stable conduction of high current.

[0062] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application also provides a connector that, by setting a multi-contact high-current connection terminal 100, achieves stable high-current transmission and excellent contact stability with the mating component 50.

[0063] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application are as follows:

[0064] (1) The first contact provided by the inner terminal and the second contact provided by the outer shell are simultaneously connected to the mating component to form a double-layer multi-contact structure, which can carry a larger current while effectively avoiding fatigue failure caused by long-term use of the terminal, and has better contact stability with the mating component.

[0065] (2) The first spring of the inner terminal is elastically supported by the third spring in the outer shell, forming a double spring contact arm, thereby increasing the positive force of the terminal to reduce the contact resistance and improve the current carrying capacity of the terminal.

[0066] (3) By setting the first support wall in a concave structure, a U-shaped convex ridge is formed to provide strong support for the concave bottom of the first support wall, which can greatly increase the stability of the housing, making the connection terminal particularly suitable for scenarios with high current, high vibration and high reliability requirements.

[0067] (4) The outer shell is provided with multiple rib structures to release the stress of the spring sheet and increase the strength of the outer shell;

[0068] (5) The first base and the second base are fixed together by riveting. By setting the fastening trajectory surface of the fastener to be perpendicular to the insertion direction, the misalignment of the inner terminal and the outer shell in the insertion direction can be limited, making the connection between the inner terminal and the outer shell more stable.

[0069] The embodiments described above are merely examples of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and the present invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A multi-contact high-current connection terminal, characterized in that, include: An inner terminal and an outer casing, wherein the outer casing is fitted over the inner terminal; The inner terminal includes a first base and a first spring piece connected to the first base. The first spring piece has a first contact point that connects to the mating component. The outer casing includes a second base, a second spring piece, and a third spring piece. The second base covers the outside of the first base. One end of the second spring piece is connected to the second base, and the other end is bent toward the inside of the second base and has a second contact point that connects to the mating component. The third spring piece is connected to the side wall of the second base, is disposed on the same side as the first spring piece, and is bent toward the inside of the second base to elastically abut against the first spring piece. The seat includes several first support walls and second support walls, forming a frame-like structure; the first support wall is recessed in the middle, and its two protruding sides form protruding U-shaped ridges that connect to the second support wall; the second spring piece and the third spring piece are simultaneously connected to the first support wall; a first rib is provided at the connection between the first support wall and the second spring piece, or a first rib is provided on the first support wall near the second spring piece; the first rib is provided on the first support wall near the second spring piece, and the first rib includes several intersecting first longitudinal ribs and first transverse ribs.

2. The multi-contact high-current connection terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first spring sheet is further provided with a first spring arm to connect the first contact point and the first base; the third spring sheet is provided with a third contact point and a third spring arm connecting the first support wall and the third contact point, the first spring arm and the third spring arm are elastically abutted at one end close to the first contact point, and the ends away from the first contact point are spaced apart so that the first spring arm and the third spring arm are set at a certain angle.

3. A multi-contact high-current connection terminal according to claim 2, characterized in that: A second rib is provided at the connection between the first support wall and the third elastic arm, or a second rib is provided on the first support wall near the third elastic arm.

4. A multi-contact high-current connection terminal according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second support wall is provided with a limiting groove, the bottom of which is higher than the first base, to limit the position of the interlocking components.

5. A multi-contact high-current connection terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first spring is also provided with a fourth spring arm, which has a first guide portion and a second guide portion that are bent and connected. The first guide portion is connected to the first contact. During the insertion of the inner terminal and the outer shell, the second guide portion elastically abuts against the third spring.

6. A multi-contact high-current connection terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first base has a fastening position, and the second base has a fastening piece positioned opposite the fastening position to fasten with the fastening position.

7. A connector, characterized in that, include: The multi-contact high-current connection terminal according to any one of claims 1-6.

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